Simon Says
by Angelus21
Summary: Slash. When Simon sacrificed himself to save Mal, he begins to understand why he did it willing before he could cure his sister. River might know why too. Chapter 3 up, Completed for now 24-05-09
1. Chapter 1

Title: Simon Says

Author: Angelus21

Pairing: Mal/Simon

Crossover: No

Rating: PG

Genre: Slash/ Romance

Status: incomplete

Summary: Simon sacrifices himself for Mal… without thinking…

Feedback: Yes please

Archive: well I like it if you ask first

Disclaimers: Characters not mine, dont belong to me.

Spoilers and timeframe: takes place after Season 1 Epidsode 14 "Objects in Space"

Author note: Hi everyone, please be kind. This is my first-ever slash and first-ever fan-fiction summit for anyone beside myself… Please forgive grammar if i get it wrong.. english isnt my mother language

* * *

**Simon Says**

Looks like what Early said was true, you never could understand how a patient shot to borderline death felt like until you experienced it yourself. True Early did shoot him in the leg, but the pain he felt then was no match for the pain he felt this instance.

* * *

He once vowed to protect River at all cost, until he can reverse the pain done to her by the academy. River was his priority. He knows it. She knows it. Everyone else onboard Serenity knows it. He has to keep himself alive. He always felt that River was the sharp sword, and he was the sheath to make her safe. She was the one that needed protecting. 

Yet now he finds himself barely conscious, supported in Captain Reynolds' arms. Slowly bleeding to death after getting shot by sniper bullets meant for Mal.

It was pure luck when he saw the moon reflecting the lens of the sniper rifle taking aim at Mal, but it was too late to stop himself from running.

* * *

River screamed. 

"So this is what death feels like," Simon thought as the bullets pushed him back. "Sorry mei mei."

"Tar ma de! What the fuck did you do that for!" Mal screamed at him, in an unusual more desperate - anger voice. "You knew that we were wearing armor!"

"Zoe! Jayne! Book! Cover us!" he commanded as he and River quickly but steady carried Simon back into the safe arms of Serenity.

Being in heavy fire, all the rest of the crew could do nothing but hold position.

* * *

"River, go get his med kit, we need to give him a shot of adrenaline now!" Mal yelled. 

"But… but… but…"

"Go! Now!"

As River ran to get the kit, Mal slowly pulled Simon into his arms, cradling his head, "Hey, what the fuck did you do that for Simon?" he as gently. With his eyes closed, all Simon could do was prevent the screams of pains he felt. After administering the shot, Simon slowly open his eyes to look at Mal,

"Its something that had to be done, captain," Simon said with a smile. "Please captain... River… please look after River for me…" Turning his head to face his little sister, "Sorry mei mei…. promise me…. you'll listen to captain okay..."

"No…no… no… don't leave me Simon.. No…" River cried.

"Hush mei mei, its okay.. Captain will look after you.. so will Kaylee and Inara and everyone else… Hush little River… hush…"

Slowly turning his head back to face Mal, what Simon saw shocked him a little. Never has he seen captain so pale, eyes watery filled with pain, lips trembling.

"Don't you worry Simon, I'll look after River while you get better. Just get better okay? Promise me…. I need…. We need you, you hear that, we need you here…. promise me…. PROMISE ME!" Mal yelled.

* * *

Captain all dressed up to be Kaylee's escort… 

Captain finding out he was married to that girl…

Captain and Inara's companion friend in bed…

Every time he thought about it, he always felt jealousy washing over him. He always thought he was jealous of Mal, but now maybe he was just jealous of the girls.

* * *

Slowly closing his eyes, setting into the comfort warmth of Mal arms, Simon drifted slowly into eternal darkness. As a single tear slowly trickled down his pale cheek, he whispered just enough for Mal to hear, "Its something I wanted to do, Mal… its what I wanted to do… "

* * *

"Simon says don't cry…. Simon says he is alright … Simon says Captain, stay with him… Simon says I love you…" 

Before Mal could react to what River was saying, River grab hold a pair of ancient oriental daggers from Serenity's new cargo shipment and rushed out the ramp into the mist of battle, leaving Mal alone to look after her dying brother.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Angelus21's corner

Quickly, being in the middle of a semester, with assignments and more assignments coming up, chances are I might not have time to properly work on this story idea. I hate to have to rush it and ruin my ideas for it. Will try to update as soon as possible, but university my first priority.

Hopefully this will tie you over until then

* * *

Part 2 

As the healing drugs slowly loosen their grip, waking from his induced coma like sleep, Simon could feel the pain grow across his chest. Pain expanding from injuries, gunshot wounds that should have left him for dead. Yet for some odd reason, not that he's complaining, he was still alive. Before he had time to work out what had happened, the numbness in his right hand dissipated to be held in a firm but gentle hand. He felt another callously hand resting upon his head, gently, lovingly stroking his hair.

"Mal?"

* * *

When Simon fell into a coma after being patched up, Mal refused to leave him in the infirmary. Staying by Simon's side for the last couple of weeks, Mal finally gave himself permission to think about the young doctor he was guarding. Hair always well kept, even through all the gunfire they occasionally dodge. His flawless cheekbones and his well-shaped nose. Eyes, innocent, patience, focused, trusting. There was always a hint of worry in them too, something that probably would not go away even if he manages to cure River. There was always a struggle within his eyes too, finding a place to fit in, after all Simon was just a boy trying to find peace and a place for himself in a man's world. It made Simon real. It was the way Simon looked at him that broke down the iron walls surrounding his heart, allowing Mal to keep the siblings onboard, to want to keep Simon close by. 

What Mal treasured the most was Simon's mouth. Home to a cheeky smile, his innocent laugh, whenever he allowed himself to relax. Mal first really noticed his smile on Ariel after showing off his new uniform. He loved the way Simon smiled at him (well him, Zoe and Jayne) with his tongue poking out through his adorable teethy grin. It made him look damn boyishly cute, made Mal smiled. It made him want to make Simon proud, trying his darn hardest to remember all the medical jargon, to make Simon's plan a success. Even when Jayne sold the siblings out to the Alliance, all he had to do was think of Simon's smile and a rescue plan seems to fall into place. Ever since then, whenever he had a bad day, all he really had to do was think about Simon to make everything better.

It's been awhile since he allowed himself to love. True he loves Serenity, and his crew, but he never felt the kind of love he has for Simon before, not even with Inara, whom he was pretty fond of. Books always told stories about Adam and Eve, how they were soul mates, a union blessed by God himself. Could Mal be Simon's Adam? His soul mate? His?

Sitting by his side, never letting go of his hand for more than a few minutes. Mal stroked Simon's hair and wondered how the young doctor felt about him.

Is it just friendship? Or is it more?

* * *

"Mal?" Simon asked softy 

Mal thought he was imagining things when he first heard his name. Slowly he turns towards his doctor, his eyes meeting the eyes he adored.

"Simon!" barely holding back his tear, Mal pulled Simon into his arms. Knowing he was being a bit too rough on a patient recovering from critical bullet wounds, Mal couldn't care less. He was just glad Simon was back.

To be continued….

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Feedback would be greatly appreciated

I think I lost my touch TT


	3. Chapter 3

Angelus' Corner

Thanks everyone who given me feedback/review, and sorry about the late update, life's a bit messed up right now... I starting to think I losing it, maybe the story is going a bit under… not sure… hope its readable.

_This is what Simon thinks_

Chinese Meaning (the way it is said in)

Tan Ah Oh god (in a positive way)

Gorr La Just enough (teasing)

Mei Mei Little sister

Ma De Damn (so close yet so far)

Xie Tan Xie Di Thank heavens (relieved and grateful)

Wo De Tan Ah Oh my god (how can be someone so dense)

xxxxxx

Part 3

"Umm, captain, you know this isn't very good for a patient, right?" Simon softly mumbled into Mal's chest. _Not that he's complaining. He just wants to breathe some fresh air. _As usual the captain never took notice of the advice given and continued on suffocating him, in a good way of course. All Simon could really do was lose himself into Mal's arms and continue breathing in his manly scent. _Tan ah, he smells really good, this might be a good way to die._

"Captain, you know that what you're doing isn't very good for a patient, right? He needs to breathe?" River piped up behind the two men. Turning a slight shade of red, Mal reluctantly soften his hold on a very ruffled up looking doctor, and took a step back.

_That was what I said, how did she know? Aww I was enjoying that._

"River…how long you been there?" Mal asked sheepishly.

"Gorr la," she giggled as she walked towards Simon to stare intensively into his eyes. Simon wasn't expecting such an intense stare from his sister, after experiencing a near death experience he was expecting another near suffocation, mental illness or not.

"Hey mei mei, how are y…" Before the doctor could finish his sentence, River smacked him across the face and stormed out, leaving a very shocked Simon in the infirmary.

After taking a few minutes to recompose himself, Simon finally asked, "What just happened?"

"River," was all Mal said.

xxxxxx

After River armed herself, she rushed out the cargo door, leaving Mal to care for her brother. Like water, she dodged the bullets and blades aimed at her lithe figure with grace as she raced towards the enemies' camp through the mist of battle. She made sure that all her friends got back inside the ship safely, anyone who stood in her way fell down from her blade within seconds, even the most war seasoned of mercenaries. Finally making her way into the camp, River let herself go completely. Letting go of the assassin's soul inside her, a battle that could have lasted for days was ended in a matter of minutes.

After regaining control of her body, River raced back towards the ship.

xxxxxx

"What do you mean by just 'River'," Simon questioned, "what happened to her?"

"Relax, nothing happened to her, other then her being the one to save our hides." Mal explained as he walked back into hugging distance. Before he could warp his arms around him again, Simon stopped him.

"Not yet captain, not yet. Tell me what happened first."

"Can I at least hold y…" Mal trailed off when he saw the look Simon gave him. "Ma de, alright, alright, I'll tell you. See when you got shot, River kind of lost it…"

xxxxxxxx

Simon laid on the exam table. Zoe, Wash and Book standing over him, doing whatever they can to stop the bleeding. Inara comforting Kaylee. Even Jayne was sitting on a counter, cleaning Vera.

Mal was silently sitting head down in the corner.

"Simon!" River scream as she ran into the infirmary.

"River, xie tan xie di you're okay!" Kaylee cried as she embraced her, "Where the hell you been? We were so worried."

"River, stay back," Book trying his best to stay calm for her, "We're doing the best we can."

"Simon says…hush mei mei, its okay… Captain will look after you… so will Kaylee and Inara and everyone else… Hush little River… hush…" River whispered.

"Of course we well, you know who else is going to look after you too?" Inara asked her calmly.

"Simon," Mal whispered just loud enough, " don't worry mei mei, we won't let him die. I won't let him die."

After a minute or two of silence cause by Mal's answer, River started up again.

"Simon says… Kaylee, get the portable medical kit in his room… Simon says…. Jayne, Wash, Book finish up the job, so we can leave this place… Simon says… Inara I need you to help Zoe… Simon says…. Zoe, you're doing great…Simon says…. And Mal… Don't leave…"

"River, honey, what are you saying?" A confused Inara asked quietly.

"Yeah, who do you think you are ordering me around, you little brat?" Jayne snarled.

"Jayne!" Kaylee yelled.

Slowly facing to the mercenary, releasing the death stare inside her, River whispered, "Go."

Without a word, Jayne fell off the counter. Picking himself up, he walked out, shortly followed by Kaylee, Wash and Book.

"Simon says… Inara, top draw, grab the adrenaline shot … Simon says Zoe keep up the pressure… Simon says, Kaylee I need that med kit now!"

After Kaylee returned, River placed the kit on the nearest counter next to her brother and removed several pieces of medical equipment. Taking the shot from Inara's hands, " Simon says, ladies stand back."

"Simon says, now inject the shot into his chest." River ordered as she administered the shot into Simon.

"Simon says, Inara get another shot, we need another." Taking the second shot from Inara's hands, as she administering it too, ordering, "Simon says, inject it now."

"Simon says, time is our enemy, I need you all to do what ever I say," River ordered.

For the next hours or so, River operated on her brother, constantly "Simon says" ordering herself, and the others to aid her.

Finishing, "Simon says, everything looks okay. Keep administering the analgesic for the next week or so, we can't have him moving or else his wounds won't heal properly."

"Simon says, Zoe sorry to make you wait, let me look at that arm of yours…."

Two hours later, after River finished attending to everyone, "Simon says, in the meantime, its safe enough for Serenity to leave atmo now…Simon says…River you need to sleep… Simon says… Mal… please stay with me…" After River said these words, allowing the tiredness to take over her, she collapsed gracefully into Kaylee into a deep sleep.

Not knowing what the hell just happened in the last few hours or so, watching Kaylee and Book take River back to her room to rest, everyone other than Mal looked relieved. Taking notice of the captain's current mental status, Zoe took charged and ordered everyone to leave the infirmary and prepare to launch.

xxxxxx

"So River… saved me… saved us… but how? How could she perform such an advance surgery with no prior medical training?" Simon said to himself as Mal finish telling the story, making sure to exclude all of River's 'Simon Says' orders for him to stay by the doctor's side.

"Beats me, you're her brother. Remember you yourself said she was gifted, maybe she read your medical text or something." Mal matter-of-factly stated.

"Don't take me the wrong way, I'm grateful to be alive, but still… how is it possible?"

"Dunno, maybe she linked to your mind and borrowed your medical knowledge or something. Won't surprise me considering the bond you two share."

"Now if you excuse me, I haven't showered for the last two weeks. So I think I might go have a change of clothes." Mal said as he made his leave.

"Hey… hey…. Hey!" Simon yelled at Mal to turn around.

"What?"

"Not yet."

"Not yet what?"

"I said 'not yet' captain, not yet."

"Huh?"

"Before after River left, when you tried to hug me… I said 'not yet'." Turning a shade of crimson as he explained.

"Come again?"

_Wo de tan ah._

"Go… go shower or something…"

Lying back down as Mal went off to his quarters, Simon wondered if it's true if River read his mind. _Does she know how he feels for the Captain?_

_tbc_


End file.
